


I'm not in love (and neither are you)

by Sermocinare



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Anal Sex, Engineer Armitage Hux, Friends to Lovers, Lots of kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Political Marriage, allies to friends to lovers, and holding hands, political maneuvering, they're pretty smitten with each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 03:40:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19803964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sermocinare/pseuds/Sermocinare
Summary: It was a mutually beneficial arrangement that had brought Armitage Hux and Enric Pryde together, and neither of the men expected, or even wanted, this to change. After all, there were schemes to be run, weapons to be built, and the ladder of command didn't climb itself, either...





	I'm not in love (and neither are you)

None of the guests witnessing the ceremony had any illusions about this being anything else than a mutually beneficial political marriage. Enric Pryde would benefit from his husband's name and reputation of being one of the First Order’s rising stars, whereas Armitage Hux could leave the political machinations to someone who had actual talent for them. Not that any of this was unusual, far from it. Most marriages in the Order were like this, which was reflected in the ceremony: short, utilitarian, and without mentioning the word love. While sharing quarters was expected, consummating the marriage was not.

Which was quite fine with Hux, seeing how he had more important things to do. Not that he disliked his husband. Both of them were amiable to each other, and often held conversation over breakfast or at the dinner table, provided that their schedules made time for it, and Hux could tear himself away from his projects. He had been surprised that Pryde seemed to have a genuine interest in what Hux’s father and many of his compatriots dismissively referred to as his tinkering. Pryde seemed to be a bit more forward-thinking than the majority of the old guard, appreciating the tactical advantages that advanced weapons technology brought to warfare. 

Also, the more he heard about what went on behind the facade of unity and absolute devotion to the First Order its upper echelons usually presented, the more thankful he was that he didn’t have to navigate that snake pit on his own any more. Hux was the first one to admit that social and political skills weren’t his strongest suit. 

\--

“You need to keep an eye on Peavy.”

Hux looked up from his plate and gave Pryde a quizzical look: “Peavy? Doesn’t he command one of the old Star Destroyers?”

“Yes. But unlike his friend Canady, he has ambitions to be a bit more than the Captain of one ship, and he really doesn’t like that the Supreme Leader seems to be quite taken with your ideas for a different kind of warfare. I guess he’s afraid that your weapons might render him obsolete.”

Hux smirked: “Let me guess, you have some kind of dirt on him that might shut him up for good.”

Pryde shook his head: “Sadly, no. Peavy doesn’t move even a step away from the straight and narrow. And I can’t make a move against him, since he’s quite popular in my circles. Can’t risk my position. That would be bad for both of us.”

Hux frowned. Yes, Pryde had aligned himself somewhat with the younger generation, those born into the First Order, by marrying him, but his connections to the former Imperial officers were vital for both their careers.

“Don’t worry,” Pryde said, “we can still see to it that he won’t be a threat. Though I’m afraid you will have to do most of the work this time.”

“Well, then,” Hux sighed, “what’s the plan?”

“You have the Supereme Leader’s ear. Use it to make sure he knows that the old ways of thinking won’t be enough any more. Of course they have their merits, and no military can function without experienced commanders, but to properly employ the advanced technology and necessary changes in tactics that our vastly different situation requires, we will need young blood and fresh thinking in the upper tiers of command structure.”

Pryde gave Hux a cunning smile and speared a piece of meat with his fork.

“So,” Hux chuckled, then gave Pryde a grin, “what you’re saying is that I’ve got to make sure that while he keeps his current rank, that’s all he will ever have. Clever.”

It was undeniable that Pryde’s mind was as sharp as his own, even though he applied it to different fields than Hux, and over time, Hux had come to appreciate, even admire him for it. He had definitely made the right choice in marrying Pryde.

Pryde seemed to have read his mind: “Well, that’s why you married me, after all.”

“Exactly.”

Yes. That’s why he had married Enric. Hux turned his attention back to his meal. He needed to finish up and get back to the Starkiller project. What he absolutely didn’t need to do was dwell on that gnawing feeling that he hadn’t been telling the whole truth with that last word.

Still, even though he was back at his desk, trying to focus on the calculations his data pad was showing him, his mind kept wandering to that part of their conversation. Hux had caught himself feeling a little pull in his chest when being close to Pryde more than once. An urge to move closer, let his hand brush against that of his husband. He had wondered how kissing those lips might feel like. 

Hux sighed, shaking his head as if to loosen those thoughts, brush them away. The last thing he needed was to develop feelings for someone who was unlikely to ever return them.

–

Hux had emerged out of his bedroom carrying several pads, plus the holoprojector that, as Pryde had learned, had been modified by Hux himself to do a few things the standard model couldn’t. 

Pryde smiled to himself. It seemed that whichever project Hux was working on today had become too big for the space his room provided, something that happened quite often. Pryde didn’t mind. He didn’t need the dinner table at the moment, or much of the space around it. He was quite content with the couch and his own pad, which was showing him several official and less official communiques. 

“Open project 12-C-V3”

The projector came to life, displaying some half disassembled machinery. Pryde was sure he had asked what exactly this project was a while ago, but it was hard to remember the details of Hux’s various inventions and redesigns. Engineering wasn’t something he had ever become familiar with, even though he had learned a few things simply by assimilation, by watching Hux work. 

And he liked watching his husband work. The way Hux became as focused as the beam of the Death Star, eyes narrowed, occasionally tilting his head or unselfconsciously biting his lower lip, was fascinating in its own way. 

Right now, Hux was stalking around the table, occasionally looking at the data pad in his hand. Then, he seemed to come to a decision. Reaching up, he shoved a few components off the display with short flicks of his fingers, making room in the display radius for further enlargening the core parts. Pryde knew that that was one of the modifications Hux had made – usually, that process would have required going back to his data pad, but Hux had built some kind of motion sensor feedback which allowed him to manipulate the displayed hologram directly. 

He should be going back to reading his communications feed, but Pryde found that he couldn’t turn his eyes away. The way Hux’s fingers were moving through the air, deftly manipulating the hologram as if he were creating a sculpture… in his own way, Pryde mused, Hux was an artist, only that his medium were metal and circuits instead of wood or stone. He even had an artist’s hands, his fingers long and elegant, his movements precise to the smallest of degrees.

Then again, pretty much everything about Armitage had a certain elegance to it, at least in private. Pryde had seen Hux command troops, and as soon as Hux stepped into a command position, his posture would tense up, leaving his movements stiff and somewhat awkward. Pryde often wondered why this was the case, suspecting that it had to do with lingering feelings of inferiority Brendol’s constant criticisms had led to. Pryde frowned. If anything, it should have been the elder Hux feeling inferior to his obviously much smarter, more talented son. 

Hux had abandoned the holographic projection for now, and was leaning on the table, studying a data pad that was lying in front of him while unconsciously shifting his weight from one foot to the other, making his hips sway slightly. 

Pryde swallowed, his throat feeling a little tight, his fingers gripping the pad a little too firmly. He really shouldn’t be looking at Armitage this way. It was only making things difficult. But damned if he could tear his gaze away from the movement of those slender hips. It wasn’t the first time he asked himself how it would feel to gently grip them with his hands, pull them in against his own while kissing Armitage’s lips, which looked so soft and full. Then, he would slide his hands around to cup that pert little ass, which looked positively delicious like this, pushed out a little by Armitage’s stance…

...and then, Hux straightened up and turned his head to look directly at Pryde, as if he had felt the other man’s gaze roam his body. Pryde froze for a second, then hastily dropped his gaze to his pad. Kriff, he’d been caught staring like some cadet with a crush. 

It was only when he heard Hux take a few steps around the table that he dared to look up for a second, and this time, it was Hux who quickly turned his gaze away. Pryde couldn’t be sure, having taken only a quick glance, but it had almost looked as if Armitage had been blushing.

\--

Pryde knew that Armitage hated these functions, saw them as a waste of time he could have used to get actual work done. At least Pryde had, after a little over a year, been able to instill in him a sense of how important making an appearance was, even though there was still a certain amount of grumbling and whining involved. In a way, Pryde mused, it had become a ritual between them, him reminding Armitage of an upcoming social event, and Armitage trying to find some reason to get out of it. 

Not that he couldn’t understand Armitage’s reservations. These functions were never fun, not even close. It was all political maneuvering, backstabbing, and buttering up to the right people. He was glad that his recent promotion to the rank of General had finally made the last bit mostly unnecessary. 

The backstabbing, on the other hand, never ceased. Just now he was sipping a drink with Armitage at his side, watching the crowd, when he heard the unmistakable voice of Commander Dreytila behind them. The man wasn’t speaking loudly, just enough to make sure that both Pryde and Hux would hear him.

“...and honestly, the whole thing is a joke. Promoting Brendol’s little brat to Major? That reeks of favoritism. I wonder whom our dear Armitage had to fuck for it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Pryde could see Armitage’s eyes darkening, jaw clenching with anger, and really, how dare that waste of space that called himself a Commander say something like that about Armitage?

Straightening up, Pryde turned around to pin Dreytila and his little group of hangers-on with an icy glare.

“How dare you?” Armitage had turned around, too, and was standing close enough for Pryde to take his hand in an unmistakable gesture: “I won’t have you make baseless accusations about my husband. Armitage has earned his rank through hard work and loyalty to the order, unlike some people in this room. Also,” Pryde let his voice drop to a growl, “if you want to accuse him of infidelity, you better have proof. Do you?”

He felt Armitage’s fingers slip between his, entwining their hands.

“I would never betray Enric,” Hux said, his voice cold, “because unlike others, I am neither a liar nor a cheat. So, do you have anything besides jealous accusations?”

The room had mostly fallen quiet. Confrontations like these were always of interest. 

For a while, the silence held. Then, Dreytila gave a derisive snort: “I don’t need proof. Everybody knows it.”

“Oh, do they?” Hux’s demeanor was cool, confident. He turned to the room, still holding on to Pryde’s hand: “Anyone else want to publicly accuse me of cheating on my husband? No?” 

After waiting the appropriate amount of time, Pryde shook his head: “You’re a disgrace, Dreytila.”

With that, he turned away from the little group, going back to sipping his drink. 

Besides him, Hux gave a low chuckle: “That went well, don’t you think?”

Pryde hummed in affirmation: “I think he’s going to think twice about trying to spread rumors about you sleeping your way to the top again.”

“Thank you for defending my honor,” Hux said, eyes sparkling with humor. “As so often, you are my stalwart knight.”

“Any time, husband.”

When he reached for his drink, Pryde couldn’t help but notice that unlike every other time they reminded others of their marriage, Armitage hadn’t let go of his hand after the demonstration, had actually gripped it more comfortably, his thumb resting on the back of Pryde’s hand, giving it small, gentle strokes. 

Pryde felt his heart skip a beat, and took a deep gulp of his drink before giving Armitage’s hand a short, gentle squeeze, which Armitage returned with a smile, and without letting go. 

They stayed a while longer, but after the scene Dreytila had made, neither of them felt inclined towards much socialization. 

On the way to their quarters, Hux once again took Pryde’s hand, interlacing their fingers. Something had clearly shifted between them back there, Pryde mused, and he was determined to find out just how far that shift went. So, once they were back in their rooms, he tugged on Hux’s hand, prompting Armitage to turn around and face him.

“Armitage, what’s going on here?”

Instead of answering, Hux took a deep breath, then grasped Pryde’s other hand. It took him a few seconds to gather his courage, but then he leaned in until his lips were almost touching those of his husband, waiting for Pryde to close the last, tiny bit of distance between them.

Pryde didn’t need even one second of consideration, closing the small gap and pressing his lips against Hux’s gently.

When he pulled back from their kiss, Hux’s eyes were shining, but there was still a hint of uncertainty, vulnerability in them: “I’m in love with you, Enric. I’ve been for a while. I just wasn’t sure...”

“...if I reciprocated.”

Hux nodded, and Pryde lifted one of their still entwined hands, kissing Armitage’s knuckles: “I do. I’ve been thinking, dreaming about this for weeks, every time we were in the same room for more than a few minutes. I wanted to tell you, but I just didn’t have the courage. After all, love wasn’t what brought us together.”

Hux laughed softly: “I guess we’re both cowards when it comes to this.”

Now, it was Pryde’s turn to answer with a kiss, and this time there wasn’t any hesitation or uncertainty between them. He felt Armitage’s tongue flick against his lips, and opened them with a sigh, letting their tongues move against each other. 

Hux whined softly, moving in to press their bodies together, arms snaking around Pryde’s middle while Pryde let his hand slide up, fingers burying themselves into that shiny ginger hair he had always found so striking, and Armitage moaned. 

Pryde was sure that his heart, his whole body would break with all of the pent up emotion and desire that was finally flowing freely between them, and even though he didn’t want to, he broke the kiss, panting slightly. Armitage’s face was flushed, eyes shining bright.

“Stars, Armitage, you’re beautiful.”

“I was about to say the same, love.”

Pryde hummed: “Love. I like the sound of that.”

“Good,” Hux said with a teasing smile, “because you’re going to hear it a lot more.”

“I think I can live with that,” Pryde chuckled, then nuzzled against Hux’s jaw: “And I hope you don’t consider it too forward if I say that I also want to hear you moan my name in pleasure.”

Hux raised his chin, giving Pryde easier access to nuzzle and kiss his neck: “You’re not forward at all. I would be lying if I said that I haven’t fantasized about moaning, even screaming your name while you do a thousand different things to me. And me to you.”

As if to make his point clear, Hux nipped first at Pryde’s earlobe, then at the spot right underneath it.

“Oh, did you?” Now it was Pryde’s turn to tease. “How about you tell me some of those fantasies then. Who knows, maybe I’ll make them come true.”

Hux purred, then pressed their hips together, showing his husband just how aroused he was already from their kisses.

“One of my fantasies was about me laying stretched out on the bed, naked and moaning while your mouth was on me, sucking and teasing my cock...”

“Naughty boy.” Pryde nipped Hux’s neck, then licked over the spot with his tongue: “But I think that’s possible. In fact, I feel like showing you just how possible that is.”

Hux gave him a sultry smile: “Your bed or mine?”

“Yours. Also, we need to change our sleeping arrangements,” Pryde chuckled.

“Agreed. And get a nice, big bed. But for now, mine will have to do.”

Hux clasped his husband's hand again, leading him to the bedroom. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he then pulled Pryde down to sit next to him, once again kissing him hungrily. 

“Let's get you out of this uniform,” Pryde said, working on the hidden clasps and zippers on Hux's tunic. “I've wanted to touch your skin for so long now. You have no idea what torture it was every time you walked from the fresher to your room after a shower, wearing nothing but a towel.”

“Oh, believe me, I do. It's not like you never did that. I wonder,” Hux teased, “were you attempting to seduce me? I distinctly remember you doing it more and more often over the last few weeks.”

“Maybe,” Pryde replied in the same teasing tone. Then, he sighed: “Not that I thought I had much of a chance, seeing how I'm an old man and you're in the prime of your life.”

Hux leaned in to capture Pryde's lips in a sweet kiss: “Oh, rubbish. For one, you're not that old. Also,” he added with a grin, “have you ever entertained the thought that I like older men?”

His words ended in a gasp as he felt Pryde's hands slide underneath his undershirt, his tunic having found its way to the floor during their banter. A moment later the shirt landed next to the tunic.

“Beautiful,” Pryde breathed, running his hands along Hux’s waist, over the flat of his stomach and around his ribs. 

Hux sighed, closing his eyes and stretching underneath the touch. He had thought about this often, imagined what Enric’s touch would feel like, but none of it could compare to the reality of those warm hands gliding over his skin. 

It was almost a shock when he felt the first, feather-light touch to his nipples, and he whined, arching his back to press into the touch. 

Pryde gave a low hum: “You’re so responsive.”

“I guess I’m a little touch starved.” Hux opened his eyes to look at Pryde, then dropped his gaze, feeling suddenly bashful: “I know we never discussed it, and I thought about taking a lover, but it just didn’t feel right. Not with us being married, even if it was just for political reasons.”

“Oh, Armitage.” Pryde leaned his forehead against Hux’s, then captured his lips in a kiss: “I know. I felt the same way.”

Hux laid a hand on Pryde’s cheek, stroking it gently before letting his hand slide around to the back of the other man’s neck, pulling him along as he scooted back onto the bed and laid down on it, looking up at Pryde with an enticing smile, which made Pryde’s eyes flare with desire.

Kneeling on the bed, Pryde hastily removed the top half of his own uniform before focusing his attentions back on Hux, stroking and kissing Hux’s skin and nipples, teasing his fingers over them until they were hard. 

It didn’t take long until Hux’s breath was coming more quickly, often accompanied by a moan or whimper, and when Pryde moved lower, pressing open-mouthed kisses all around his navel, Hux arched upwards with a whine. He hadn’t felt this impatient, this needy since he had been a teenager, which should have felt embarrassing. It didn’t, though, not with Enric, not when his husband was looking up at him with an almost worshipful gaze.

“Stars, you’re amazing.” Pryde hooked his finger underneath the waistband of Hux’s pants, pulling them down a little and planting a kiss on the skin he had laid bare. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this wanted. Lift your hips for me?”

A few seconds later, Hux was kicking out of his pants, groaning happily at his cock finally being freed, which earned him a grin and a kiss. 

Pushing Hux’s thighs apart, Pryde settled in between them, gently gripping Hux’s hips, his thumb running circles along the jut of Hux’s hip bones while he took in the sight before him. Armitage was a handsome man, that much had always been undeniably true, but naked and stretched out on the bed, his skin flushed and eyes blown wide, he was absolutely stunning. 

Pryde bent down, placing a kiss in the center of Hux’s chest: “Time to make your fantasy come true.”

Hux watched as Pryde moved downwards, drawing a line from Hux’s chest right down to his cock with little kisses and licks of his tongue. When those lips finally touched the head of his cock, Hux moaned, letting his head fall back on the pillow. 

Even though Enric had said that he hadn’t been with anyone in a while, Hux was quite sure that he’d had ample experience with this before, judging by the way he was using his mouth to tease Hux’s cock until Hux was sure he would scream if Enric didn’t start sucking in earnest soon. 

Then, finally, his cock was enveloped in his husband’s wet, warm mouth, and Hux let out a deep, drawn-out moan. It felt so good, so absolutely perfect how Enric was caressing his cock with soft lips and a clever tongue that it made Hux’s toes curl. He had waited far too long to confess his feelings, had missed out on this for far too long. Reaching down, Hux began caressing Enric’s hair, which drew a happy moan that reverberated along his cock. 

Propping himself up on one elbow, his other hand continuing to card through the other man’s hair, Hux looked downwards, and oh, the sight that presented itself was one of the most arousing things he had ever seen, Enric’s head bobbing up and down his cock. 

“Fuck, you look so good.”

His gaze flicking upwards to catch Armitage’s eyes, Pryde gave the cock in his mouth a wicked little swirl of his tongue, which made Armitage gasp.

“I’m so close...”

Pryde pulled back, letting Armitage’s cock slip out of his mouth with a wet, almost obscene sound, and the younger man whined in frustration, giving him a look that was so disappointed that, in any other situation, would have made Pryde chuckle.

Crawling upwards over Armitage’s body, Pryde closed his husband’s mouth with a deep kiss.

“I want to take you.”

Armitage moaned, arching upwards: “Yes. Stars, yes, fuck me.”

The words and the pure need they expressed caused a wave of lust and love to spread through Pryde’s body, and he kissed Armitage again, putting everything he felt into it, kissing Armitage until they were both out of breath and panting.

“Lube?”

“In the nightstand.”

Coating his fingers with lubricant, Pryde watched as Armitage spread his legs wider, pulling them back with an enticing smile.

“Beautiful,” Pryde breathed, then went back to kissing Armitage, propping himself up on one arm while the fingers of his other hand sought out Armitage’s hole, caressing and slicking it up before pushing one of his fingers inside. 

Armitage was tight and hot, and Pryde took his time opening him up, caressing him until he had found the spot that made Armitage arch up with a loud moan. 

“Ready?” Pryde murmured against his husband’s lips, and Armitage nodded. He looked glorious like this, pupils blown so wide they almost swallowed the ring of color around them, his skin flushed and shining with sweat.

Pryde slicked up his cock, then lined up and slowly pushed into Armitage, listening to his soft whines and whimpers for any sign of discomfort until he bottomed out with a groan that was echoed by his lover.

For a while, he just stayed where he was, catching his breath and pressing small kisses on Armitage’s lips and neck. His first strokes were slow and shallow, but after just a few of them, he felt Armitage’s hips buck underneath him, urging him into deeper, harder thrusts. 

Hux had wrapped his legs around Pryde’s waist, changing the angle of his hips until each of Enric’s thrusts brushed his prostate, and it didn’t take too long until he was feeling that need again, making him whine almost desperately as he tried to rub his cock against Enric’s belly, eyes squeezed shut so that there was nothing else but their bodies moving together.

“Shhh, my darling. I’ve got you.”

Hux opened his eyes for a moment and saw Enric smile down on him before a slick hand wrapped around his cock. He groaned, closing his eyes again and giving himself over to the sensations of Enric’s cock moving inside of him, and the hand that was stroking him off. 

Then, finally, his arousal hit its peak, and Hux came, shuddering and moaning loudly, his whole body tensing, hole clenching rhythmically until all of his muscles went slack and he sank into the sheets. Through his haze, he felt Enric push his legs back and thrusting into him with a few deep strokes. He opened his eyes just in time to see his husband’s face contort in pleasure, groaning as he spilled himself deep inside Hux’s body. 

It took a while until both of them had gotten their breath and bearings back. Pryde had turned on his side, one arm wrapped around Hux’s middle while he rested his head against the younger man’s shoulder.

“That,” Hux said, his voice still rough, “was amazing.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Pryde pressed a few kisses against Hux’s skin: “Because I think so, too.”

Moving around, Pryde then pushed himself up so that he could look at Hux’s face: “I love you, Armitage, and I’m glad that I can finally say it.”

Smiling blissfully, Hux reached up to cup Pryde’s cheek: “I love you, too.” Then, he grinned: “And when we’ve both got our strength back, I insist that we do that again. Or something else. After all, we have a few years of missing out to catch up on.”

“Oh, absolutely, darling. Absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> Looks like I've taken a head-first dive into the Prux dumpster, and I'm going to have all kinds of fun in here until December rolls around and (probably) blows this rowboat to pieces. Fellow dumpster residents, hmu on tumblr at 21st-century-flapper if you like!


End file.
